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DIY: Do It Yourself Post here to share or improve your wrench turning skills! All BMW E46 DIY tips, tales, and projects discussed inside. Learn to work on your car and know the right BMW parts you will need!

If the sound is generally a high-pitch whirling, buzzing, gurgling or "electronic" sound emanating from the drivers side vicinity (foot pedal or cluster area) and it is somewhat intermittent, then it is likely your "cover with blower."

The bearings get dry and begin to squeak, creating this noise.

Sweet! Thanks. you explained perfectly was I was hearing and thinking.

Nice DIY - thanks for contributions to e46fanatics. All worked out well, although I outsmarted myself. I took out the 4 screws securing the blower holder - when in fact all I needed to do is just pop the clip. Fortunately I didn't lose any screws into impossible to reach locations. As mentioned, removing right side fan housing made swap out/in easy. All done. While it was working fine now, I'd rather work on it in the mid 80s versus the teens in February when these parts typically fail! It was making a groaning noise the last two winters when cold - so I know it was going to fail at some point in the near future. Now I need to do FSR and I'll be all set.

New rotors and pads (for rear) are on order. Front pads/rotors completed. Rear springs replaced. I should be in good shape!

My blower was doing the "low speed chirp" so I took it out. I figured it was chirping because the bearings were dirty. So, I literally dunked it in a bucket full of soapy water and spun it around a bit. Lots of crap was left in the water. Let it sit in the sun and dry a bit, reinstalled and ran it for a little while so it could heat up and let all the moisture evaporate.

The reason I didn't try lubing was because, like others mentioned above, it would only attract more dirt.

It was already making noise, so I planned to replace it anyway. But why not try cleaning it first? If the water fried it I would have shrugged and moved on. As of now the blower is whisper silent. Might be worth a shot. Dunk at your own risk though.

First post here and resurrecting an old thread so I'm hopeful someone can help me with this DIY?

Done the fan swap-over no problem but struggling with the rebuild as I cannot seem to get the left fan cover back in no matter how hard I try (that's drivers side UK / passenger side USA) - just cannot get it to rotate past the windscreen wiper linkage, maybe they're not in right position to allow access? Admittedly I did force it out the space to remove it.

I finally managed to re-fit the side covers of the fan box this morning, what a PITA that was:jaw-dropping - Only advice I can give with the left -hand cover is move the wipers to up position and then bend/flex the cover around the fins of the fan.

Anyway, I'm now stuck on replacing the flaps correctly:mad The left/drivers side one (viewed from front of car) is operating correctly with the recirculation switch, ie fully opens and closes. However the right side flap wont operate and or close fully the way I've done it and I think I'm missing something in the re-fit procedure:confused

Can anyone describe the correct procedure for re-fitting the right-hand re-circulation flap?

The bottom linkage which connects the inner and outer flaps was my issue, it had come out of position during the disassembly stage without me noticing - it shouldn't actually be visible as mine was which led me to reassemble it out of position. The flexible arm from the inner right flap has two nipples, the uppermost nipple fits into a track which runs right to left underneath the fan box, the lowermost nipple connects to the flexible arm from the rear right flap. If this pops out on you don't worry as each of the flexible arms can only be re-inserted into the flaps' hinges in one orientation - if you shine a torch through the little holes in the flap you will see a notch to align the link pins with. It's not posible to photograph this so just take my word for it

The top linkage of the outer flap is the one which actually moves with the recirculation button and can only be inserted AFAIK with the outer flap closed and A/C set to recirculate. If assembled correctly the inner flap will be closed as the outer one opens.

Assembly of the right flaps is thus as follows.

1- Hit recirculate on A/C and allow motors to settle.
2- Ensure the bottom linkage is connected to the bottom of the inner flap and that it sits in its track underneath the fan via the top nipple of the link (feel underneath between the two flaps).
3- Ensure the linkage from the outer flap also connects to the bottom nipple of the link (If this is correct you can slide the linkage left to right by feeling underneath the fan box and observe the inner flap moving - the outer flaps' hinge will move accordingly).
4- Insert bottom of the outer flap to its hole (where the bottom link terminates) and using gentle downward pressure push top of flap into its mount. If the inner flap is closed the outer flap will be open and visa-versa, the flap must be aligned correctly with respect to the linkage pins so just rotate slightly until you can push down the retaining pin at the bottom of the outer flap.
5- Reach underneath fan box and move the linkage (or push the outer flap) to ensure the outer flap is closed.
6- The top link is then inserted into the top of the outer flap, the hinge on this link sits perpendicular to the flap hinge and to the left as you look at it from the front of the car (this is very tight space wise so take car not to break the link pin as you persuade it into place.

I determined what the problem was - a loose connection or poor electrical contact seemed to be the issue with my FSR. I cleaned the connection with a disposable cardboard nail file, and finished off with some electrical contact cleaner.

All is working perfectly now. .

I am Having some issues with my Blower motor. I have replaced the final stage resistor but it still only works every now and then. And even sometimes if i hit a really funky bump it will kick on. when it works, it works fine...but when it doesnt work, it wont work AT ALL.

I'm interested in knowing which connector u cleaned?? as this could also be my problem!!

Excellent thread however I,like the latter posts are having extreme difficulty extracting the right (cars) side flap. this is a 1993 318is (US style) and it has a different flap. The covering is white plastic and does not resemble the pictures or have the thorax bolts to remove. The opening cable control runs beneath the cover and to the right side (passenger) side for flap control. Two small metal clips connect on the outside of each of the side flaps but I cannot seem to release the top area of the right (passenger side) flap. This side is the obvious side for extraction and if the #$@$ flap would release it would be a snap. Thanks for the thread thus far, esp TitaniumCranium.
Steve

Last edited by snthomps; 02-22-2012 at 09:28 PM.
Reason: wrong year of manufacture

I'm about ready to attempt this.
I notice in a diagram on Tischer's site that there is a filter apparently sitting in front of the blower motor/fan. I can't tell if I've seen it in the photos people have provided. If there is one there and it's accessible, then it probably makes sense to go ahead and replace it as well.

Good idea? Has anyone who has replaced the blower motor noticed this or changed this filter?

I was trying for 4 hours to remove the fan and eventually I broke the plastic blades in an explosion of anger. I was then trying for another 4 hours to get the new fan in without breaking anything.

Can't help with that, you will have to struggle to get it out & in. I also disconnected the left flap to have some freedom of movement. Sorry for the lack of pictures here, it's easy to disconnect it.

Once you successfuly place the new fan, connect the power connector, secure it using the clips that held the old one, test it, and put all the covers back in reverse order.

This is an excellent thread as far as it goes. However the method for getting the blower into the cavity is not an obvious one.

Taking the engine cover off as suggested above is a start, however an additional inch or so of clearance is required. I have heard many people say that getting access is very difficult, and this is my experience. The objects which block access are massive and have a lot of wires and hoses attached to them.

I have seen posts in which people seriously suggest that dropping the engine a couple of inches for access by undoing the bolts on the engine sub frame is the best way to get access to this fan. This is pretty extreme, and I will try this last.

I have seen a post suggesting that taking the intake manifold off. On a 330 this is a serious job. I have a feeling that on a 325i it may not be quite as bad, but still to R&R the intake manifold on these cars is not a romp in the park.

I will probably remove the intake manifold next, in order to create clearance to install the fan. I have just ordered the gaskets, and I will be looking for limited service items, like hoses, to replace while I am in there. If any one has replaced a blower lately, I would be very interested to hear from them, as to exactly which parts need to come out in order to replace the fan.

This is an excellent thread as far as it goes. However the method for getting the blower into the cavity is not an obvious one.

Taking the engine cover off as suggested above is a start, however an additional inch or so of clearance is required. I have heard many people say that getting access is very difficult, and this is my experience. The objects which block access are massive and have a lot of wires and hoses attached to them.

I have seen posts in which people seriously suggest that dropping the engine a couple of inches for access by undoing the bolts on the engine sub frame is the best way to get access to this fan. This is pretty extreme, and I will try this last.

I have seen a post suggesting that taking the intake manifold off. On a 330 this is a serious job. I have a feeling that on a 325i it may not be quite as bad, but still to R&R the intake manifold on these cars is not a romp in the park.

I will probably remove the intake manifold next, in order to create clearance to install the fan. I have just ordered the gaskets, and I will be looking for limited service items, like hoses, to replace while I am in there. If any one has replaced a blower lately, I would be very interested to hear from them, as to exactly which parts need to come out in order to replace the fan.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Rob

Okay. I am a Newby and I missed the many interesting suggestions written AFTER the early post which I referenced. Apparently removing some of the windshield wiper structure will help. Lots to read here.

Anyone tried buying a TYC built model of 64-11-3-453-729? Behr looks like its the stock OEM manufacture, wondering if there is a huge difference. Ebay has the TYC made one for 75, Behr about 100.

I bought the Behr, which has a Bosch motor, and it is nicely done in the sense that that care has been taken to balance the rotors on both sides. I think that I paid $110 from ECS. This balancing operation would seem to be a difference from a blower which just moves air, and one that moves the air silently, and also one which lasts: imbalance is hard on bearings.

BEFORE you put the new part in, since the fins don't come off the Tischer unit, it is IMPERATIVE that you remove the right side (cars right side) blower housing.

Okay. There is a difference between the excellent direction which Mr. Cranium gives us above (I will light a candle for you Mr C.) and what can be done with the last year of production e46, 2005 325i. The blower housing is ONE piece and does not separate. This said, I have now taken off the engine rocker cover, and it looks like when the fuel rail comes off that I will have a straight shot at putting the fan in place. For those 325i fans out there, I will post a result here.

Thanks for all the fine suggestions which have come before this point in time.